(TFT) More thoughts on interesting monsters

["rsmith" <rsmith@lightspeed.ca>]

	I think that monsters can be tactically
interesting or interesting at a campaign level.
The displacer beasts and the Giant slugs we've
been talking about are tactically interesting.
(And I think that TFT needs more tactically
interesting monsters.)

	Matt Fraser has been running a TFT
campaign we play in sometimes that is based on 
TSR's Dragonlance world.

	There are these small reptile humanoids
that have cool effects when they die.  They
may explode, spray acid or turn to rock 
trapping your weapon in their petrifying body.


	I think the key thing about finding ways
to make tactically interesting monsters is to
watch for the same tactical patterns in play,
and then create a monster that forces the 
players to break out of that habit and find a
new way of dealing with a situation.

	How about a monster with such tough
armor and dangerous attacks that it is better
to be swallowed by it.  From inside you can 
stab internal organs, and can't be skewered.
(Admittedly you can't breath and take a point
of damage / turn from acid but that is an
improvement.)  Assuming someone is outside
to help you get out once the great whatsit, is
dead, getting it to eat someone is the ideal
tactic.

	

	An interesting monster at a campaign 
level is something like a plague of vampires.
Regardless of how interesting vampires are, (I
think they could use some work), the fact that
an increasing number of night stalkers are 
terrorizing a town or city, is going to stir
things up.

	Another thing I look for is does the
monster have roleplaying hooks.  In Cosmic
Encounter, a race was 'The Butler'.  Everyone
who played that position, would start acting
like some obsequious butler with a bad English
accent.

	Is there something about this monster
that encourages the players to act?  In my
campaign, I say that looking into a Dragon's
eyes while talking to it, gives it a chance
to hypnotize the PC.  If the players look me
in the eye for more than 30 seconds or so, 
then I do the rolls.

	It does not take long before the players
start adverting their eyes, looking at their
feet when talking to Dragons.  Of course if 
they never glance at the dragon, it may be able
to get a tactical advantage.

	How about a monster that smells so bad
that Players get a -1 DX.  Put a reminder in
the monster description that if the player 
roleplays the smell, they should get a couple
bonus e.p. when it is killed.

	
	Rick
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